Mel Melie Kerr’s resolute half‑century, combined with a decisive death‑over spell from Hayley Matthews, finally delivered MI London their first win of the campaign, edging out city rivals London Spirit in a tightly contested derby. Until this match MI London had been unable to secure a victory, but they rallied from precarious positions of 23 for 5 and later 64 for 8 to post a defendable total of 122 and ultimately clinch the game by three runs. New Zealand star Kerr was the linchpin of the innings, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 69 that lifted the side past the 100‑run mark and gave them a platform to defend. Her innings was a masterclass in patience and power; she paced the scoring, accelerated in the final 25 balls to add 55 runs, and struck her first competition six in her 26th Hundred appearance.
When asked about the performance, Kerr said, "It was pleasing to get a win today and a great game for the crowd in the London derby, and really nice to be on the winning team! We showed a bit of maturity and mental toughness, the wicket was tricky and once we got past 100 everything was a bonus, so 120 was great." After Kerr’s batting heroics, MI London’s bowlers took charge. Their attack kept the Spirit batters under constant pressure, and when South African all‑rounders Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk entered the attack late, the tide turned decisively in MI London’s favour despite a couple of late boundaries from Deandra Dottin.
Spirit, who have now suffered six consecutive defeats at their home ground, missed the chance to climb the table, leaving both teams level on six points after a thrilling encounter that followed an equally dramatic tie in the reverse fixture at the Kia Oval. Spirit’s early inroads after winning the toss gave them a brief lead, but Kerr’s late‑innings surge, which produced 55 runs in the final 25 deliveries, proved pivotal. The match featured several notable bowling spells: Kapp and England’s Katie George each bowled ten overs early, reducing MI London to 14 for 2. However, the introduction of England’s Charlie Dean after 30 balls changed the dynamic; Dean bowled a relentless ten‑over spell, picking up three wickets for just six runs and unsettling the MI London batting line‑up.
Kerr, supported by Chinelle Henry—who had earlier rescued MI London with a 55‑run partnership at the Kia Oval—counter‑attacked. Kerr’s aggressive strokeplay included a powerful six that marked her first in the competition, followed by two more boundaries that pushed the score further. The West Indian duo also forced de Klerk into a deep‑square delivery, adding pressure on the Spirit side. MI London’s bowlers struck early, dismissing Grace Harris and Marie Kelly, and when seasoned batter Amy Jones fell, the home side slumped to 36 for 3, creating nervous moments for the visitors.
Dean steadied the ship with the unflappable Kapp, but a lack of boundaries allowed the pressure to mount. At the midway point the score read 54 for 4, with Kapp joined by de Klerk. The pair applied sensible cricket, taking the total to 93 before Kapp delivered a match‑winning chip to Kerr at mid‑wicket.
As the tension rose, de Klerk exploited a dropped catch to hit a deep‑square shot. Deandra Dottin, promoted to No 9, struck a series of fours, but it was insufficient; MI London finally broke their duck and held on for the narrow three‑run win. Looking ahead, the weekend promises a double‑header on Friday, with Birmingham Phoenix women hosting SunRisers Leeds at 3 pm, followed by the men’s teams playing at 6:30 pm. Both fixtures will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The Hundred’s schedule continues through to the finals on Sunday, 16 August, and fans can stream every match, including the concluding showdown, on NOW without a contract. The competition’s tables have been updated, and the squads for the 2026 season are now confirmed, offering a fresh wave of talent and storylines for the remainder of the tournament.